Experience report on laser eye surgery in Istanbul – Report from Monday, January 29, 2007

Our patient I. Hiltbrunner from Walterswil wrote to us on January 29, 2007 at 9:22 PM:

–Original message–

Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007, 9:22 PM
To: info@swisslasik.ch
Subject: Experience Report

Dear Mr. Karaagacli

Below you will find my experience report, which you are welcome to publish online.

Experience report: Lasik in Istanbul

I have needed corrective lenses for over 30 years, being nearsighted between 3.25 and 3.75 diopters. Because I don’t tolerate contact lenses well, I have often looked into LASIK, but so far it has been out of the question for cost reasons.

Since I was in my mid-40s and had already started developing age-related farsightedness, I would soon have needed progressive lenses. This prompted me to look into LASIK again.

I found out via the internet that Lasik is significantly cheaper in Turkey than in this country, and that’s how I ended up on the Swisslasik homepage.

After some research and a preliminary examination in Switzerland, I decided to book the surgery through Swisslasik, together with my son, who was also nearsighted. We signed the contract and subsequently received the Swisslasik passport, which contained a lot of valuable information about our trip.

So, on December 13, 2006, my son and I flew to Istanbul. On the plane, we sat next to a Turkish woman who lived in Switzerland. She had heard of the Eyestar clinic and said it was the best clinic for eye surgery in Turkey! So, the start of our trip was very promising.

At the airport, we were picked up by Dogan, who spoke perfect German and assisted us in all matters concerning the surgery. He drove us safely to the hotel and picked us up again the next day to take us to the clinic.

Once there, our eyes were thoroughly examined using several machines, including tests of pupil size at night. Dogan was always by our side, acting as our translator. Since the doctor speaks excellent English, it was also possible to converse with him in that language.

On my right cornea, it was a bit thin (491 µm), so the doctor had to carefully calculate whether a microkeratome incision was possible or if another option, such as Femto-LASIK, should be used. He ultimately opted for standard LASIK, meaning an incision with a microkeratome, even though the clinic would have earned an extra €400. He explained that there was no long-term data available for Femto-LASIK yet, and that the clinic had the latest microkeratome, which reduced the flap thickness to approximately 100 µm.

Since our eyes needed a break between the preliminary examination and the surgery, we went to get something to eat and then explored the Taksim district.

Next on the agenda was the surgery. Since my son was a bit afraid of the operation (he hates it when someone touches his eyes and has trouble looking at a specific spot for long on command), he was given a sedative. Before the operation, you can lie down on a massage chair, which certainly helps with relaxation. Thus prepared, my son even dared to go into the operation before me. My son Roman asked me to film his surgery. This was quite possible through a window into the operating room, with a view of a monitor on the wall where the treated eye and the procedures were visible.

After a session on the massage chair, it was my turn. Dogan was present again and informed me about each step of the procedure. Aside from the suction ring, which was briefly used to cut the flap, and the clamps used to keep my eyes open, I didn’t feel a thing during the operation. After about 20 minutes, it was all over, and I was taken to a darkened recovery room. The first follow-up examination took place about 20 minutes later, and then we were driven back to the hotel. Because the eyes are very sensitive to light after the surgery, we were given sunglasses to take with us.

For the first four hours after the surgery, our eyes watered, burned, and stung. We tried to sleep, which we partially managed. They remained very sensitive to light for another hour, and then the ordeal was over.

Because of my age-related farsightedness, I opted for monovision and felt relatively comfortable with it from the start. Monovision does require some getting used to, though; depending on the activity, you either don’t notice it at all or only a little. It was never a problem, however.

The next day, a follow-up examination was due, and Dogan picked us up again and took us to the hospital. Our visual acuity was already almost 100%. Now we could explore Istanbul with our new eyes – what a feeling!

We haven’t had any problems so far, just occasional slightly dry eyes, but it’s getting better all the time. This is a symptom that women over 40, in particular, should expect for a while. Driving at night is also no problem; no halos or glare. Our visual acuity is slightly less than with glasses, but still perfectly adequate for everyday life.

Roman’s eyesight is even better than mine; unfortunately, monovision has caused me to lose some visual acuity. But as I said, it’s still good enough for managing everyday life, whether in the office, car, or around the house.

We are both glad to be rid of the glasses.

At this point, we would like to thank the clinic and you, Mr. Karaagacli, once again for the excellent care.

The first follow-up examination is scheduled for early February in Switzerland; I will report back to you afterwards.

Until then, kind regards from Walterswil

I. Hiltbrunner

P.S. This is a genuine report. If desired, please request proof at info@swisslasik.ch